Cigar-slitter



(No Model.) J PUSEY GIGAR SLITTBR. l No. 305,0171 Ptented Sept. 9, 1884.

wrm EssEs:

UNiTED STATES PATENT FFICEG JOSHUA PUSEY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIGAR-sL-ITTER.

liEECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,017, dated September 9, 1884.

Application Filed December 2G, 1883.

37) all wil/0721, it may concer/1,.l

Be it known' that I, JOSHUA Pusnv, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar Slitters or Cutters, of which the following is a full, clear,

` and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The nature of this invention is a device for slitting the ends of cigars in order that they shall smoke freely 5 and it consists in the cornbination, with an inclined thin saw or slitter, of a sliding or movable lid or piece, with an opening or socket therein, adapted to receive the conical end of the cigar, so that when the said sliding piece, with the cigar end inserted in the opening, is moved in the proper direction, the end of the cigar is brought against the slitter, and thereby a narrow cut or slit is gradually made in the cigar end.

The invention consists also in certain details which will be hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view ofthe device as it appears ready to perform its function, the position of Vthe cigar as held between the thumb and finger being indicated by the dotted outlines. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section immediately in front of the inclined saw or slitter of the device, showing the position of the parts just as the slitting of the cigar end is completed-that is to say, when the sliding lid has been drawn back almost to the limit of its stroke. v Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line c b, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow at the side of the latter figure. Fig. 4 represents a cigar, showing the slit in its end as made by the inachine.-

The reference-letters are uniform in the several figures.

The particular form or method of constructing my invention whichv I prefer is that illustrated by these drawings, and is as follows:

A A are two equal parts, preferably of castiron, and which, when placed together, forni a boX. Between them is inserted a very thin saw, S, inclined from the rear toward the front, as seen in Fig. 2. The halves A A', as also the saw, are provided with holes m for the re- (No model.)

ception of screws D, which serve the double purpose of holding the two halves together and securing blade S firmly.. The adjustment of the blade in the proper position is also thereby assured, as the holes at each end thereof constitute a certain gage, and thus the insertion ofthe blades is facilitated. The top or lid B of box A A has beveled sides, which fit into grooves in the sides of the latter, as seen in Figs. l and 3, so that the lid, while it may be easily slid back and forth, it is at the same time kept from coming out. The front end of lid B has a socket, C E, of an internal diameter not less than the larger sizes of cigars. Part of this socket C project-s above the top of the lid, and part thereof, E, it will be observed, extends into the box A A down to and, in fact, a little below the lowest of the saw-teeth, which latter part is conical like the end of a cigar. Socket E has a slot, I, in its walls, through which slot passes the slitter S. N ow, if a cigar be seized between the thumb and finger, and, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l, inserted into the socket until its end touches or nearly touches the bottom thereof, and while'held in that position the top B is slid back, either by the linger pressing against the front side of the cigar or against the same side of the projecting part C, the saw S will gradually enter the end of the cigar until, when the rear side of the socket-piece within the box strikes against the end of the latter, a slit, such as that shown in iFig. 4E will have been cut in the end of the cigar. This slit being made of a length or depth to pass through the layers of that part of the tapering cigar end which, as is well known, is more tightly packed than elsewhere, the cigar is caused to smoke more freely than if its end were cut off, as is usually done. The slit being also long and quite narrow, its opposite sides may be compressedtogether between the teeth to a greater or less extent, and they may be separated by compressing the end of the cigar in the opposite direction-that is, in line with the plane of the slit. In this way the smoker can regulate the freedom with which the smoke may be drawn through the cigar as desired.

A retracting-spring, H, serves to draw back the sliding piece B into the right position for IOO repeating the described operation. One end of this spring is secured to an eye, V, in a lug at the front end of one of the halves, A, of the box,and its other end to a hook, V', projecting from the under side of B, as seen in Fig. 2. This spring may, however, be dispensed with, in which case the lid B must be returned to its proper position by the hand. l

I prefer to cut away a small section of the rear side ofthe part C of the socket-piece, in order that the thumb may be enabled to press against and thus better hold the cigar in the act of sliding back the lid. rlhe opening made by thus cutting away the side of the part G is marked u. (See Figs. l and 2.) rlhis feature is not essential, and is only specially useful when the cigar is much less in diameter than the socket. Usually the cigar may be held by the thumb and foreiinger, while the latter at the same time presses back against the front side of C. In fact, this projecting part O may be dispensed with entircly, and the lid in that case be forced back by pressure of the iinger against the cigar itself, but in such case there is liability of breaking the cigar or its wrapper if care be not taken.

There is an' obvious advantage besides that of facilitating the ready insertion and securing of the slitter S, as before mentioned, in the special construction of the device shown, and that is economy in the manufacture of the article. Thus, the two parts A A may be cast irom the same pattern, with the grooves for the reception of the beveled edges of the lid B therein. rlhe lid and the spring are readily insertible in proper positions and the whole secured together by the screws D.

rlhe device may be fastened to a base, F, of wood, or to a desk or counter, by means of screws t, passing through holes in the bottom of A A', as seen in Fig. 2. It may also be observed that if the boX A A or the part that carries the vslitter S be moved forward while the cigar and top B arc held stationary, the end of the cigar being in the socket, the same result will be produced-t'. c., the end of the cigar will be slit in a similar mannerthe essentialV feature of the invention being the combination of devices whereby the slitter is l caused to enter the cigar on an incline or i gradually substantially in the manner shown aud described, and thereby cutting a slit in the latter.

I have dispensed with the slotted socketpiece E, but iind it much preferable to make use of it, as, in the former case, the cigar, not having the lateral support afforded by the sides of the socket, is apt to split and cause the wrapper to break off around the end of the cigar. 6o

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of the box or receptacle, the inclined cutter secured therein, and the sliding lid or top provided with an opening therein for the reception of the tapering end of a cigar and guiding of the same into proper position with relation to the cutter, the parts being constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 7o

2. In a cigar-end slitter or opener, the following elements in combination: an inclined saw or cutter, a conical socket-piece adapted l to receive the tapering end of a cigar,and provided with a slit therein for the passage through 7 5 said slit of the cutter, all constructed, arranged relatively, and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the inclined cutter,

the sliding or movable part B, and the tube 8o o1' socket C E, extending above said sliding part, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the sliding part B and the cutter S, the tubular socket projecting above the said part B, andl having the opening n, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

5. rllhe combination of the inclined cutter,

the part B, provided with an opening therein 9o adapted to receive the end of a cigar, and the retracting-spring H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with the socketed top and the inclined cutter, the boX A A', constructed 9 5 JOSHUA PSEY.

Witnesses:

FRANoIs S. BROWN, A. D. HARRING'TON. 

